


The Game's Afoot

by rotrude



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Detectives, Alternate Universe - Historical, M/M, Victorian
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-07
Updated: 2018-10-07
Packaged: 2019-07-27 14:25:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 402
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16220966
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rotrude/pseuds/rotrude
Summary: Coinelot Ficlet. In which Merlin is Holmes and Arthur is Watson.





	The Game's Afoot

“Once you eliminate the impossible, my dear Arthur, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be.”

“I don't see what bearing that has on Mordred Baskerville's case,” Arthur said, pacing the room.

“I don't either.” Merlin smiled goofily. He vaulted out of his armchair, picked up his violin, strummed it, then put it back down. He mustn't play now, though it helped with his concentration; he had a case to solve! “But I will.”

“We can't let those people die on the moor!” There was fire in Arthur's tones, indignation. Merlin knew how much Arthur valued life. As an ex soldier, he was committed to protecting people. It was his mission. “That blasted hound, if hound it is, needs to be stopped. We must do something.”

Merlin agreed. “That's why you're going to Dartmoor.”

“I'm going to Dartmoor?” Arthur sounded surprised, and enthusiastic.

“Yes, you'll be my eyes and ears there.” Merlin was already planning ahead. He had an idea.

“You trust me with that?” Arthur's eyes were big and guileless.

Merlin trusted Arthur with reporting unfolding events faithfully, with risking his life to solve the case and protect those who had appealed to them. He was the perfect man for the job. Merlin merely hoped Arthur would not be too foolhardy and get into scrapes. But Merlin meant to protect him from those. He wouldn't leave anything to chance, especially Arthur's life. “Yes. I do.” There'd be no one more perfect than Arthur. Ever since they'd formed a duo, with Nimueh's case and her scandal with a prince, Arthur had been a solid companion for him, his trusted partner. He wasn't the most alert when it came to sniffing out clues. Sometimes things would happen right in front of him and he would take no notice, fail to see links between events. But then again he was always the first to rush into the fray, to defend the weak and support Merlin. Yes, Merlin thought Arthur was the other side of his coin. “I trust you above all else.”

“Well, in that case,” Arthur said, picking up coat, walking cane and top hat, “I'll be catching the first train to Dartmoor.”

“Please, do.” 

Always ready for action, Arthur left their flat with a spring to his step. From the window Merlin watched him hail a hansom and step inside.

It was time for him to act too.

The game was afoot.


End file.
